Roger Millward - Swimming Teachers' Association

Question: What is the position of the Swimming Teachers' Association on licensing?

Roger Millward: The STA, as a major organisation concerned with swimming and water safety, is at the forefront of raising standards.

Not only are we the only organisation that includes water safety in every element of our swimming teaching, we are also the only organisation that insists its swimming teachers can perform a rescue.

Furthermore in the last two years we have introduced the following major initiatives.

We facilitated the founding of the National Federation of Swim Schools (NFS), an independent organisation dedicated to providing higher standards in a poorly regulated area of the market. The standards the NFS sets are high, and include many of the elements in the Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) licensing scheme. We did invite the ASA to join us in this programme, but they refused.

And we have invested substantial funds to engage the British Standards Institution (BSi) to create a publicly available specification for the safe operation of swimming schools. Again, we did invite the ASA to join with us, and develop this specification to raise standards, but they refused.

By comparing the relative size and income of both STA and ASA, it is clear that teaching swimming and water safety is at the very core of STA’s being, and remains its key focus.

By promoting water safety, following the World Health Organisation guidelines, the STA has contributed significantly over the last 40 years in reducing drownings in the UK, with no government funding.

By contrast, the ASA is, and indeed should be, focused on competitive swimming and creating future champions of the sport.

Both organisations have a vital role to perform and should be working in harmony for the benefit of swimming.

The STA has a long history of working in partnership with other organisations to save lives, and promote swimming and water safety.

Furthermore, the STA recognises the importance of regulation, and, as I have set out, it is continually striving to ensure higher standards, and by this we mean achieving higher standards and not just paying lip service to the concept.

The government has indicated its desire to see a licensing system for sports coaches, and Sports Coach UK has been the driver to achieve this - although it was not envisaged that the scheme would necessarily include teaching.

Sports Coach UK has indicated that the national governing bodies should produce a licensing system with the support of those involved, ie. after consultation with interested organisations. Clearly this has not happened in this case.

The STA is keen to play its part in the development of a licensing system that is acceptable to all users - I wrote to the ASA chief executive about this in September 2005.

It has since become clear that ASA has a hidden agenda, and has deliberately excluded the STA from the consultation process, which, considering STA’s relative size and importance in saving lives, is scandalous.

What the STA objects to is the manner of the introduction, the detailed terms, the lack of consultation and the exclusion of the STA.

We also do not agree with the cost of the scheme, which we believe will drive away the part-time employed, who play a very important role in the teaching of swimming and saving lives.

Question: Is the ASA licensing scheme mandatory?

Roger Millward: The ASA wrote to me on January 31 with the following comment: "No-one is mandated to obtain a licence – it is for the industry to decide if they wish to restrict employment etc. to those holding a licence."

The position is clear - it is not mandatory. However the intention is also clear that if enough employers can be persuaded to adopt the scheme then by default you will have to have an ASA licence with all of its implications as to cost, etc.

Question: Is this a government scheme or a government-approved scheme?

Roger Millward: There is a clear implication in the marketing papers that the scheme is in some way government approved. It is not.

Question: Without a licence, will teachers still be insured through the STA?

Roger Millward: Despite the rumours, I can categorically state that the answer is yes. The terms and conditions to be eligible for members insurance cover, and the affiliated clubs and swimschools insurance scheme, have not changed.

Question: Will teachers need a licence to keep their current jobs?

Roger Millward: Under current employment legislation an employer can not introduce new conditions after employment unless it was a regulatory or legal requirement.

The ASA scheme is not a legal or regulatory requirement.

Any employer who threatened dismissal, or any other sanction, if an employee refused to obtain a licence would be acting illegally.

Question: If teachers seek a job where the employer insists on an ASA licence, what avenues are open?

Roger Millward: Under current legislation it is not discriminatory to insist on a particular qualification, or other requirements, provided that the requirements are not based on sexual, religious, ethnic, disability or racial factors.

If any STA member is put in this position they should contact the STA.

Question: If a teacher decides to obtain a licence, will their STA qualification be accepted?

Roger Millward: The ASA has confirmed that most of the elective points can be satisfied by using STA qualifications and schemes.

This is a short term palliative - the ASA have indicated in a letter to me that there is a possibility that only UKCC accredited courses will be accepted.

The ASA have already vetoed the STA from the UKCC accreditation process. Clearly this is totally unacceptable to the STA, and we are currently taking up this very serious matter with the relevant bodies.

Question: What is the STA doing about the situation?

Roger Millward: The STA is making representations at the highest level within government, and in general terms there is support for our position and case.

This will take time to be resolved, but it will be. It has to be resolved, or the UK will lose the huge pool of talent that is within the STA and its membership.

We must succeed for the sake of the children who without our help and support are in danger of drowning, and for the good of competition swimming where many participants are initially taught by STA members.